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Author Topic: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam  (Read 4658 times)

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Offline timP

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Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« on: August 30, 2004, 06:23:30 PM »
can anyone help me understand the pros/cons between these 2 models of video camera?
the high 8 cams seem to be alot less $, but how much better is the vid quality of the dv cams?


thanks
?>FR2LE

Offline firmdragon

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2004, 10:17:37 PM »
don't bother w/ hi8.  at the very least go w/ digital 8, but i'd still take the plunge and go with mini-dv.

Offline ChitownTaper

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2004, 04:15:01 PM »
As firmdragon said, stay away from the Hi8, you don't want analog.  Between the DVC and the Digital 8 (D8) it depends on 2 factors... 1) size.  The D8's are typically bigger than the DVCs.  And 2) what formats the stuff you allready have are in.  I bought a D8 because all my families old home videos are in Hi8 and the D8 will play those back and do a A/D conversion on the fly.  Made it useful for me, but I allready have 2 DVC's so I've got both formats.

Hope that helps a bit
cal

Offline Chad817

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2004, 01:48:08 PM »
no worth it...much lower resolution, and you are dealing with analog, which is just much more of a pain to do transfers as well.  MiniDV is at a pricepoint now where it doesn't make sense to choose anything else (chitown makes a good point about d8 being able to transfer older stuff though, but that would really be the only reason I could see going for that format)

the video "quality" will have a lot to do with the surroundings you are shooting in.  DV can still look like shit in bad conditions with low light.  But in general you will be much more pleased with DV..and the ease of transfer to DVD is a huge plus.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2004, 01:50:36 PM by Chad817 »
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Offline timP

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2004, 11:05:55 AM »
kinda what I was thinking

+Ts...
?>FR2LE

silverbullet

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2004, 11:29:51 AM »
I have a dig 8 camera. Got it because I had some hi-8 tapes I still wanted to play.

I thought the dig 8 and DV tapes had the same resolution. clarify?

I can only get 1.5hrs of recording time in LP mode on my dig 8 camera. How much recording time can you get on a mini dv tape? I thought they were the same but I ran into someone last weekend who told me he could get 2 hrs. Is that possible on a dv tape?

Offline andrewkw

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2004, 12:45:55 PM »
I have used both but I own a digital 8 camera, at the time it was better priced then mini dv's with its features (20x optical zoom + having a/v ins meaning I can use it to record stuff off tv as well).

Another main reason why I bought digital 8 over mini dv was that I thought 90min digital 8 tapes were a lot more common then 80min mini dv tapes.  I havent seen any 90 minute digital 8 tapes since I bought my camera.  thats 90 mins on SP not LP.  Everywhere seems to only carry Hi8 tapes which double as digital 8 tapes for half the time.  I have not seen tapes longer then 80mins for mini dv but they probably do make them?

I would suggest you get the camera with the most features for the amount of money you spend be it digital 8 or mini dv, dont consider hi8 since its lower quality.

Offline Chad817

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2004, 01:44:47 PM »
panasonic sells dv tapes that are 80/120, so you get 2 hours in lp mode. 
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silverbullet

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2004, 05:03:43 PM »
where do you buy 90 minute dig 8 tapes (SP mode) ? i must be overlooking them at my retail stores. Sure would love to have some longer recording tapes on hand.

Offline Elvis Hitler

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2004, 11:07:38 AM »
Best Buy used to sell the 90 min. digital 8mm tapes (2 pack for $20), but they haven't had them for at least a year now.  I can't seem to find them online either.

Offline andrewkw

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Re: Digital High 8 versus Mini DV cam
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2004, 12:34:03 PM »
Best Buy used to sell the 90 min. digital 8mm tapes (2 pack for $20), but they haven't had them for at least a year now.  I can't seem to find them online either.

yeah thats where i got my only 2 90min tapes. i have NEVER seen them again, even camera stores dont seem to have them.  Perhaps they are discontiuned?

 

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